Alternative therapies: Part II. Congestive heart failure and hypercholesterolemia

Natural supplements are widely used by the American public but, while claim s of their therapeutic effects abound, medical research does not always sup port their effectiveness. Clinical trials using Q(10) for the management of congestive heart failure have had conflicting results; hawthorn is prescri bed in Germany for the treatment of this condition, but no trials have been conducted in the United States. Although initial research about the use of garlic in the management of hypercholesterolemia was encouraging, follow-u p studies have failed to verify these results. Substituting soy protein for high-fat animal protein diets, however, does have a beneficial effect on s erum lipid levels. So far, cholestin (a natural product containing several statins) has proved to be a cost-saving lipid-lowering medication, and fenu greek may offer modest improvement as well. Gugulipid is also promising but requires further research.